391
The Hardline / Re: Actors/Directors: Taking Photos in Rehearsal-A Disturbing Trend...or Not...?
« on: Jul 07, 2013, 08:34 pm »
Collect phones and cameras at sign in under the pretense of collecting valuables?
News:
14 Jan 2021: Happy 21st birthday, SMNetwork! I replaced the old broken mobile theme. -K
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392
Homework Help / Re: Deadline August 19th, 2013: SM research study
« on: Jul 04, 2013, 11:44 pm »
This project has staff approval. Go for it, y'all.
393
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Devised theatre: The how to help
« on: Jul 02, 2013, 06:10 pm »
While it isn't specifically about devised theatre, we had a conversation a ways back about working on unscripted productions with a focus on improv. It may help.
394
The Green Room / Re: Book Club?
« on: Jul 01, 2013, 10:07 pm »
Chicago mob as a plot device? Again? #smh
395
The Green Room / Re: What People Think We Do
« on: Jun 26, 2013, 10:01 pm »
Are these the same guys who did "#$@! Shakespearean actors say?"
396
Employment / Re: Leaving a difficult situation just before Opening...
« on: Jun 25, 2013, 01:49 pm »
You might also want to follow up with an AEA rep since you've got union actors. Running under those circumstances is bound to be hazardous.
However regarding the pay - in those situations you usually get half at opening and half at closing. If you want it any other way you need to get them to sign a contract with a payment schedule, and remember to invoice them as needed.
However regarding the pay - in those situations you usually get half at opening and half at closing. If you want it any other way you need to get them to sign a contract with a payment schedule, and remember to invoice them as needed.
397
Tools of the Trade / Re: Tape-out on Carpet
« on: Jun 25, 2013, 03:12 am »
We did that once. We were rehearsing in an old school ballroom with original parquet floor. We nabbed some carpet from a hotel that was going out of business and used it to cover the floor. If you do this, bear in mind:
- It will affect the acoustics
- You will need something to hold it down
- You will need a vacuum with a very very long cord. Vacuuming takes longer than sweeping.
- If you get it second hand it will probably be super gross and need a lot of cleaning before you want to be crawling around on it.
398
Employment / Re: Leaving a difficult situation just before Opening...
« on: Jun 24, 2013, 09:17 pm »
A ship's captain might be able to salvage a dinghy in trouble, but can only go down with a yacht.
A musical is a yacht.
It's time to head for the lifeboats.
A musical is a yacht.
It's time to head for the lifeboats.
399
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Samuel French no longer allowing archival video??
« on: Jun 20, 2013, 09:49 pm »
From their website:
Quote
Can I videotape my production?
Can I post short clips of the show on my theater’s website?
Can I make an archival recording of a performance?
Written permission must be obtained for all recording requests, regardless of the purpose or reason for the proposed recording. Please email us to inquire if recording rights are available and we will process your request. Please be aware that an additional fee may apply and that not all titles are available for video/audio recordings.
400
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Acting maintenance notes in the Performance Report
« on: Jun 18, 2013, 03:19 am »
Who is the audience for your report?
Is it the absent members of the production team? The front office? Future SMs who may be involved in a remount? The producers?
Every document has a target audience. The more varied the audience, the more neutral it must be. A performance report that tries to simultaneously be a legal record, a general ledger and a morale booster will probably do none of the above very well, and should imho be replaced with multiple versions.
But let's look at some specific examples.
- A child actor mugging too much
- An actor skipping a line
- An actor skipping an entire page
- An actor adding a bit of business
- Changes to choreographed combat.
These all could be construed as actor notes, but I think we would agree that they all need to be handled differently.
Is it the absent members of the production team? The front office? Future SMs who may be involved in a remount? The producers?
Every document has a target audience. The more varied the audience, the more neutral it must be. A performance report that tries to simultaneously be a legal record, a general ledger and a morale booster will probably do none of the above very well, and should imho be replaced with multiple versions.
But let's look at some specific examples.
- A child actor mugging too much
- An actor skipping a line
- An actor skipping an entire page
- An actor adding a bit of business
- Changes to choreographed combat.
These all could be construed as actor notes, but I think we would agree that they all need to be handled differently.
401
Introductions / Re: New Member Scavenger Hunt - June 2013
« on: Jun 13, 2013, 02:13 am »
You nailed it, Jessie! Welcome on board. Have a post count enhancement and enjoy your stay!
402
The Green Room / Re: Production Haikus
« on: Jun 09, 2013, 12:48 am »
This is for venting.
We always have at least one
Poetry/vent thread.
Better to face it
With humor and brevity
Than it is to dwell.
After all, if we
Cannot vent to our comrades,
What outlet is left?
We always have at least one
Poetry/vent thread.
Better to face it
With humor and brevity
Than it is to dwell.
After all, if we
Cannot vent to our comrades,
What outlet is left?
403
The Green Room / Re: Production Haikus
« on: Jun 08, 2013, 12:45 am »
News flash: How to save
the Indian elephant?
Cross breed with deck crew.
the Indian elephant?
Cross breed with deck crew.
404
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Escripts=Do you HAVE to have them?
« on: Jun 06, 2013, 11:54 pm »
Things I would theoretically consider before typing a paper script (or printing an e-script!)...
- How talky is the play?
- Cost per use. Yes, I like my margins a certain way and I like to add space, and I like line numbers for being on book. Is that enough to make it worth the (probably unpaid) time I will spend typing?
- RE: doing it to "learn the script." I will hear the script a billion times and learn it along with the actors. I will be sick to death of it by closing. There will be oodles of table time when I will be gently escorted through textual analysis. Could I better spend the time learning authorial context, historical research, listening to the proper dialects, doing a real knockout Cue Fu*, or looking into shows that my design team & company have recently done? After all, these the things that will be important to MY job through the process. Knowing the script before rehearsal starts? That's the director's job. The actor's job. The dramaturg's job.
- How "locked" is the text?
- How will my escript look in my portfolio vs a paper script? Will it look like I'm diligent and dedicated? Or that I'm willing to do a lot of extra work for free? Or worse, that I'm high maintenance and will waste company money on fiddly things?
- Chances of a remount? And when? 10 years ago we were saving digital stuff on CDs and ZIP drives. 20 years ago it was floppy disks and tape drives. Remounting a show using your digitized script next year is one thing, but could you even access an archived e-script from 2003 using today's tech without scrounging high and low for rare peripherals?
- Is this a case of "make ALL the paperwork" cleverly disguised as dramaturgy?
- How active is rehearsal going to be? If I'm going to be running all over the hall, will it be easier to carry paper or my tech gear?
- How reliable is the power at the theatre? How about the weather? How's security in the hall? What's my photocopy budget for this show?
- How old is my laptop's battery?
- How pictorial is my blocking shorthand? It's easier and faster to draw diagrams on paper. It's easier to type text abbreviations.
- How tech-savvy is my crew? If I get HBAB** can my assistant/the PM/the director's brother/whoever they get to cover for me figure out my escript?
- Am I setting a precedent that I will be retyping every script for this company going forward?
* Cue Fu - line by line analysis of the show for potential tech issues, using a big honking grid. Kind of like a WWW. Kind of not.
** HBAB - hit by a bus
- How talky is the play?
- Cost per use. Yes, I like my margins a certain way and I like to add space, and I like line numbers for being on book. Is that enough to make it worth the (probably unpaid) time I will spend typing?
- RE: doing it to "learn the script." I will hear the script a billion times and learn it along with the actors. I will be sick to death of it by closing. There will be oodles of table time when I will be gently escorted through textual analysis. Could I better spend the time learning authorial context, historical research, listening to the proper dialects, doing a real knockout Cue Fu*, or looking into shows that my design team & company have recently done? After all, these the things that will be important to MY job through the process. Knowing the script before rehearsal starts? That's the director's job. The actor's job. The dramaturg's job.
- How "locked" is the text?
- How will my escript look in my portfolio vs a paper script? Will it look like I'm diligent and dedicated? Or that I'm willing to do a lot of extra work for free? Or worse, that I'm high maintenance and will waste company money on fiddly things?
- Chances of a remount? And when? 10 years ago we were saving digital stuff on CDs and ZIP drives. 20 years ago it was floppy disks and tape drives. Remounting a show using your digitized script next year is one thing, but could you even access an archived e-script from 2003 using today's tech without scrounging high and low for rare peripherals?
- Is this a case of "make ALL the paperwork" cleverly disguised as dramaturgy?
- How active is rehearsal going to be? If I'm going to be running all over the hall, will it be easier to carry paper or my tech gear?
- How reliable is the power at the theatre? How about the weather? How's security in the hall? What's my photocopy budget for this show?
- How old is my laptop's battery?
- How pictorial is my blocking shorthand? It's easier and faster to draw diagrams on paper. It's easier to type text abbreviations.
- How tech-savvy is my crew? If I get HBAB** can my assistant/the PM/the director's brother/whoever they get to cover for me figure out my escript?
- Am I setting a precedent that I will be retyping every script for this company going forward?
* Cue Fu - line by line analysis of the show for potential tech issues, using a big honking grid. Kind of like a WWW. Kind of not.
** HBAB - hit by a bus
405
Employment / Re: Continuing Education/Certifications through Employer
« on: Jun 05, 2013, 09:55 pm »
Do you tour at all? If so, CDL (large vehicle driver license) might be a good route. Beyond that? Music classes if you don't read music. AED cert to go with first aid & cpr.